It was very windy along the ridge the morning I hiked to the peak. Wonderful view and hiking with my favorite person made the impact of the wind tolerable. I called ahead to the Hanksville BLM office for road conditions. Road crews had cleared the washouts on the way up from Notom, so I drove up the West side and down the east (Bull Creek Pass Byway) which was in much better condition.

We had planned this trip since January. Unfortunately, the monsoon did not cooperate with us. We climbed Mine Camp peak earlier in the day. We approached Bull Creek Pass from the west via the Notom/Bullfrog road. Once we got to the Henry Mountains Road, we saw a pickup truck stuck in a wash within 1 mile. We had to traverse about 4 more washed out areas. It took nearly 3 hours to reach McMillan Springs campground via the nasty road. The only good thing was we were the only ones at the campground. We did run into two DNWR officers who told us the road from Hanksville to Bull Creek Pass was much better and they were really surprised we made it up from the west (I almost got my Jeep Wrangler stuck in one of the washes). We spent the night at McMillan Springs and summited the next day. We also ascended Ellen Peak and the clouds started getting dark. We had to contour down below the ridge as some thunder was heard. When we finally got back to the car, we decided to descend Bull Creek Pass on the east side. The road was in much better shape than the west approach. This was an experience that I will never forget. If I ever go to the Henry's again, I will go in October.

Hiked up Mount Ellen as a storm front was moving through. The wind was relentless the whole time. Saw some hunters in the morning and met a family that made it to the summit not long after I did. They managed to make it all the way to Bull Creek Pass in a large fifteen passenger van. I talked to them for a while and they said were trying to complete all of the Utah county highpoints like me.

Drove up from Notom after bagging Fishlake Hightop and Bluebell Knoll the day before. The drive up is almost the most exciting part. The hike itself is easy and straightforward. The nearly 360 degree views from the top are amazing.

Day two of a little road trip through Garfield and Wayne Counties to bag a couple of county high points. We got into the high country and were rewarded by seeing some of that famous Henry Mountain Deer Herd. The bucks were awesome! The hike was great and the weather beautiful. We returned via Notum Road, The Burr Trail, The Million Dollar Highway to Boulder, Bryce Canyon and Cedar Mountain.

Mommy and Daddy brought me to the summit of Mount Ellen, the high point of the beautiful Henry Mountains! Daddy carried me because I am only 10 1/2 months old. Thunderstorms in the deserts to both the east and west were really scary!

Hiked with my wife and carried DayHikerJr, age 10 1/2 months. Thunderstorms in the area, in the deserts to both our east and west, prevented us from continuing north to the slightly lower Ellen Peak. But we got the high point, Mount Ellen.

The hike to Mount Ellen was great, with spectacular views of Utah's canyon country, my favorite part of the Universe. But, for peaks in the Henry Mountains, the real epic journey is the vehicle approach.

For the approach, we took the Fairview Ranch Road (N38.23918 W110.64902), which is off UT95, 10.0 miles south of the junction of UT24 and UT95. Fairview Ranch Road connects to Sawmill Basin Road at N38.21454 W110.74112.

For the return, we tried to take a different road back to UT95, so we turned southeast instead of northwest at Wickiup Pass. When we reached the lower elevations, thunderstorms dropped heavy rains in the area, causing some serious flooding. We were forced to stop for about 45 minutes while we watched a flooded wash (N38.07938 W110.67426) tear perpendicularly across the road in front of us. After the water slowed enough to allow safe crossing, we continued across, only to find the road 1/10 mile ahead completely flooded and destroyed by a larger wash running parallel to, and on, our road! (N38.08055 W110.67281)

We could find no detour around this mess to get to UT95, so we had to return the way we came, all the way back over Wickiup Pass, and then to Sawmill Basin Road. Instead of using Fairview Ranch Road again, we decided to stay on Sawmill Basin Road all the way to where it becomes 100 East in Hanksville.

In the lower elevations, the roads (when dry) were 2WD passable, and even the higher roads could probably be driven with a 2WD passenger car by someone (me) who is really determined to get to a trailhead. But luckily we had higher clearance and AWD for this day, because we needed it for all the flooding and wet sandy roads. I was prepared to pack up DayHikerJr, along with some food and water, and hike out to UT95.

Dean thanks much for a great page about the directions, summit, and history. The real challenge with this hike is getting to the trailhead. It takes ~ 90 min. from Torrey to arrive at the pass. The road was clear when I was there but obviously had been cleared of trees frequently. High clearance is recommended and I was glad to have 4X4 at times. Once on top it's a challenge to complete all of the summits but worth it once you've made the effort to be there.

My wife and I met Duane at the junction of SR24 to Notom, then rode in his Explorer to Bull Creek Pass. After nearly a year of lamenting our failure to summit Ellen in the dark last September, Duane and I finally got this one off our backs. We had stopped one hump short on the previous attempt.

Did the short hike from Bull Creek Pass, but only after being accosted by a group of very drunk hunters who were up there scouting out mule deer hunting possibilities. Apparantly the Henry Mts is the premier Mule Deer hunting area in the lower 48. The place was crawling with guys in camo clothes and atvs going around video taping deer and such. Very surreal experience, and the incident with the three drunkards (they told us they had brought 90 beers with them, yes 90) had a Deliverance feel to it, although it never got that far. They kept asking me and my buddy, "Are you gay?" and "Are you sure?" Enter at your own risk. The only time in my life that I wished I was a gun owner.